The operational range of a system that combines and distributes signals within buildings or other areas where wireless signal propagation is likely to be a problem, whether the signals are digital or analog or some combination of both, is limited by the dynamic range handling capability of the system. In a distributed system, such as the one disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/619,431, “Point-To-Point Digital Radio Frequency Transport,” filed on Jul. 19, 2000, incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth, signals of varying levels are present at input ports, at signal combiners and at output ports. A large signal at a single input port may potentially saturate the output port (e.g., cause an overflow condition) if the large signal exceeds the dynamic range of the system and is not controlled in some way.
Even if a saturation level is not reached, a large signal may effectively limit the amount of traffic that the system can handle. For example, capacity in a spread spectrum system, such as a system employing a spreading function (for example, code division multiple access (CDMA), IEEE 802.11 complimentary code keying (CCK), or the like) is generally limited by the total amount of power allowed for all users in the bandwidth of interest in order to prevent unacceptable interference. Thus, power levels of spread spectrum mobile unit transmitters are continually adjusted to a level that is sufficient to maintain good signal reception at the base station but also minimizes signal power levels. For signals from mobile units that are supported by the distributed point-to-multipoint digital micro-cellular communication system (distributed communication system), power level adjustment works seamlessly. For example, if the signal from a supported mobile unit is boosted and provided to a base station, the base station will inform the mobile unit that its transmitter power should be correspondingly reduced. However, the frequency spectrum that is received, processed and distributed by the distributed communication system is shared by many services and devices and thus the distributed communication system will likely receive and process signals from communication services that are not supported by the system as well as from other sources of interference in the band. For example, the communications standard for wireless local networks, IEEE 802.11, calls for using the 2.4 GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band. The 2.4 GHz ISM band has been called the “junk band” because it is contaminated by microwave oven emissions. Such non-supported and interfering signals may reach significant power levels in the coverage area and cause significant problems.
For example, a distributed communication system in a building or other enclosure may share a coverage area with a non-supported service. Further, the non-supported service may have mobile units in the coverage area that share the same bandwidth with the distributed communication system. Unfortunately, the mobile units from the non-supported service may transmit at much higher power levels compared to the distributed communication system to provide for good reception by the non-supported base station, which may be located a significant distance from the building or enclosure. This power level may be many orders of magnitude greater than signals from supported sources that are much closer to radio transceivers in the building or enclosure and may effectively “power limit” the capacity of the system or saturate the distributed communications system.
The above-mentioned problems with controlling the gain of wireless signals in distributed communication systems within buildings and other enclosed areas, as well as other problems, are addressed by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.